Egon Schiele: Portrait of Dr. Erwin von Graff

The show considers how Dr. Von Graff’s medical practice and personal support of Schiele influenced one of the most expressive and psychologically charged bodies of work in modern art.​

Between 1910 and his death in 1918, Egon Schiele (1890-1918) cultivated a close, formative relationship with Dr. Erwin von Graff (1878-1952)—a Vienna-based surgeon and gynecologist who became both friend and collaborator. “Egon Schiele: Portrait of Dr. Erwin von Graff” is the first exhibition to examine this vital connection. The show will consider how Von Graff’s medical practice and personal support influenced one of the most expressive and psychologically charged bodies of work in modern art.

Their friendship began as the result of a favor—Dr. Von Graff assisted with the birth of a child by an acquaintance of the artist (Schiele himself was not the father), Liliana Amon (1892-1966). As an expression of gratitude, Schiele painted a portrait of the thirty-two-year-old doctor. This contact evolved into a lasting exchange that deeply influenced Schiele’s exploration of the human body, emotional vulnerability, and the complexities of life and death. 

Von Graff granted Schiele access to the private realm of patients at the hospital, and the latter went on to create searing and highly expressive renderings of the women and newborn babies that he encountered, capturing these typically overlooked individuals with raw, emotional intensity. This experience expanded into depictions of children and teenagers, especially during the years between 1910 and 1912. Von Graff was among the first to recognize Schiele’s tremendous artistic potential and amassed a small collection of works by the artist.

The show will encompass approximately 40 works ranging in date from 1910 to 1918. The centerpiece will be Schiele’s 1910 oil on canvas Portrait of Dr. Erwin von Graff displayed alongside preparatory sketches on paper and accompanied by studies of pregnant women, babies, and children. Related and later works will also be included to illustrate Schiele’s artistic development during and following this seminal time in his life.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website